I'm surprised to see so many homebrews in the delegation that is led by Susumu Takada, the Master of Guile.

There are some interesting concepts among the homebrews. This season, throughout the clans, duelists who are dangerous beauties must be very popular among the players as choices for what to play.

I'm a bit disappointed that we don't have a Tamori-trained shugenja among them, or an Obsidian magistrate, but most Susumu seem to be at least connected to one or two clans. I have no doubt that many delegations will eventually ignore us, but these connections, at least, look promising. We also have monk who bears a family name and is also a samurai, like the Togashi and Asako. That's new for the Spider, but fitting. Our new shugenja family is represented by Gyushi Kageto. Apparently, the blades they produce are quite famous; one delegate, Susumu Asina, has one and its better known than its wielder, perhaps for its crimson blade.

I've already enjoyed this private discussion between Mizuki Otomo and Takada and his possé (~Link~).

My only issue so far with the main plot of Winter Court (the choice of which son will be named Heir to the Throne). I don't see why clans as traditional as the Great Clans of Rokugan would even consider casting aside tradition and support Shibatsu over Seiken.

I get that the Spider would rather support Shibatsu, but any other of the others? Even by making it Progressive versus Traditional, I don't see why in a setting that is intrinsically traditional how Shibatsu would even have a chance. But ... we know there's a story prize of Aranai shedding first blood to defend Shibatsu's honour in a duel, and there's, apparently, another mega-game. So we'll have to see how this ends.

I also don't know how a tenish year old child as regent will be received and how it plays out without appearing too shoe-horned.

However, it's known that the Imperial daughter is to be bethrothed to one of the Great Clans. Now, I don't think the Spider Clan has big chances there, especially with Kanpeki already being married. But it will be interesting to see how this part of Winter Court will end. I don't doubt that marriages, again, will be a vitual part of WC4, because that's how deals and treaties are sealed.

Will any clan be interested in exchanging students (and hostages) with the Spider? That's another way to seal deals. I'll keep watching for these political ramifications closely.

The heirs are surprisingly mostly just figureheads for a bigger issue. The issue is more the idea of Traditional vs Progressive ideologies with regards to the changes that have swept the empire, and less about the direct individuals. Its not that one heir is so amazing but that the idea of a progressive empire, ready to adapt and change with the new celestial cosmos, adapt to new potential threats, and reorganize after the destroyer war is enticing enough that clan will happily seek to leave behind tradition to put an emperor receptive to the ideology on the throne.

Its a war of ideas, that live or die by the heir that takes the throne. Hopefully winter court will show that.

All I can say, having played a relative nobody last time, and playing a person of modest importance this time?

I have WAY less time on my character's hands.

Taira had to go looking for stuff to do the first week or so of WCIII

Taisho is neck-deep in appointments up through Day 2.

Now, part of that is the way Court time slots are longer now, but part of it's just meeting with everybody under creation... Including a dinner at the Spider Embassy with a Susumu, a Daigotsu, and the lone Gyushi.

Susumu Takada has already struck a deal with the Imperial Familes, which is fitting given the family's history. It does run a little counter to what their Progressive allies, the Crane, are trying to do but c'est la vie.

I think one of the GMs also mentioned that the gift Atsushi was given is also a subtle threat.

I think one of the GMs also mentioned that the gift Atsushi was given is also a subtle threat.

It most likely is. It demonstrates that the Crab intelligence on the Lost was better than Daigotsu believed it to be. The map means that the Crab's current intelligence on the Spider Clan is also better than the clan believes it to be. With the two clans going to war, it's definitely a threat.

The regent got introduced today, but there was no reason given, why the Empress has chosen a child as regent. Now, since the regent has the name of a samurai-ko, she surely is post-gempukku and counts as adult. So it's probably not as odd to the characters than it is to me (even knowing that it's an Utaku, because Unicorn won the World Championship in Sheffield).

Of course, with a celestial mandate and the knowledge that the gods do actually exist, it's always easy to accept the Empress' decision as sabctioned by the Heavens.

It's starting to get amusing that whenever people refer to colonial powerhouses, they mention Spider, Mantis and Unicorn, but neglect to mention the Dragon, who accompanied the Spider to the Colonies as their overseers. That's how you make your own realities, I guess.

Susumu Takada has already struck a deal with the Imperial Familes, which is fitting given the family's history. It does run a little counter to what their Progressive allies, the Crane, are trying to do but c'est la vie.

The Spider have a balancing act to play here. The Imperials are not our enemy, since they are neutral in their position over the Heir. The Crane have not yet openly moved against the Otomo, so Takada is only aware of tensions. Also, while the Crane may be on the side of the Progressives, they failed to mention the Spider as allies in either their public or private letter.

The nature of the arrangement Takada made is that it is a secret one. He can make gains with the aid of the Imperials without insulting the Crane.

It's starting to get amusing that whenever people refer to colonial powerhouses, they mention Spider, Mantis and Unicorn, but neglect to mention the Dragon, who accompanied the Spider to the Colonies as their overseers. That's how you make your own realities, I guess.

The dragon were advisers, not a full army. They have presence but militarily the three are still dominant.

I'm a bit disappointed that we don't have a Tamori-trained shugenja among them, or an Obsidian magistrate...

I'm sorry to say that about one of these things you are sadly misinformed.

Don't be sorry, but that's actually good to know. In the last Wonter Court the Obsidian Magistrates were introduced as the Spider Clan's actual magistrates. Because other WC4 characters reveal that they are magistrates in their signatures or introductions, I presumed that the delegation is without one. If not, all the better. And if I'm wrong about the shugenja (no need to publicly verify or deny) that's all the better. Secrets, infiltrators and hidden agents spice the game up, after all.

Well, all of the Winter Courts so far, if I'm rightly informed, had infiltrators and (blackmailed) agents. And not only from the Spider Clan. I would be surprised to learn that it's different this time. And if there is a Tamori-trained Spider disguised as a priest of another clan, I won't complain.

man , now i regret even more that i sent the application wrong and it got bounced, though admittedly i had put a request in said application on if i could play Takahide from wc3 fame and simply toss me a negative reply and offer the spot to somebody else if the answer was no. (didn't notice mistake til it was to late)

And yea, i can see how the OM might be a disadvantage in this years winter court, i had a bit more wiggle room in the colonial one i think

The GMs have informed us that the Obsidian Magistrates are a hot button topic and could be to the delegation's disadvantage if characters outside the clan knew there was one running around.

That's indeed interesting. As Bodhi said, during the last WC, his character was a publicly known Obsidian Magistrate, and it was used synonymous to clan magistrate. After all, the Obsidian Champion is no more (currently), and clan magistrates say nothing about school or training, as magistrate is a political office. But this time, WC isn't in the Colonies and it's run by a different GM Team.

The Phoenix want to help the Spider Clan establish their shugenja family. The deal, of course, has some hooks, such as the inquisitors monitoring the shugenja training (and I don't think a true Inquisitor would restrict him- or herself to just the training facilities and accepting not having further jurisdiction. "Tainted? Maho, you say, Inquistor-san? Our thanks for bringing it to my attention. The Onyx Champion will investigate." )

What I really like, however, is that neither Takada nor Asina mention that the Spider Clan recently recognised a shugenja family and that their daimyo is a former Chuda and thus most likely a (former) maho-tsukai.

I doubt that the Spider will agree to the price, however. I don't see them defending Phoenix holdings against the Unicorn during the war that will come because of the Moto curse revelation. But it's an interesting proposal. Even if my toe nails curl up whenever I hear a Phoenix (or Crab or Lion) speak about the spiritual purity of the Spider Clan.

Props to Atsushi. He taunted Kakita Ichigiku over Takada's role in halting her investigation into the Night of A Thousand (whatevers), goaded Kasuga Aizawa into a duel, and made Suzume Shindo really mad just for existing.

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